Christian Music (as all Christian Art forms) is defined as overtly Christ-centered and normally involves lyrics, accompanied by instrumentation, about Christ or the Gospel, Salvation (testimonies), Christian life and witness. Christian music focuses especially on our personal relationship with Christ. An old favorite is a classic illustration of this theme: "In the Garden" (I walk with Him and I talk with Him and He tells me I am His own. Oh the joy we share ...) Some Christian music includes words about God Himself ("Holy, Holy, Holy") but such words are not the primary content of most singing or of music among many Christians. Very few Christian songs are addressed directly to God. If He is mentioned, it is in the third person, even as the Doxology is.) Many Christians will insist that their music is spiritual and makes them aware of God's presence and they become touched, maybe overwhelmed, by that presence when they sing it or hear it. It is, they say, both worshipful and edifying. I have enjoyed and used Christian music of all types all my life.

Christian Music can stirs normal human emotions and can be exciting or enjoyable, making the body move (clapping, toe-tappng and dancing). It can also be meaningful and satisfying on some level. But by my definition, it does not accomplish what Sacred Music does [see post below] Is this difference important? Yes! This is not a matter of cultural and personal preference and taste. The Question is: Who is the God we worship? What kind of Music harmonizes with who He is? That is the issue. The differences in the music used in Church is a consequence of different understandings of the God we are worshipping.

Theology determines how we worship, including the type of music we use. The real issue is who we understand God to be. That is what determines how we respond to Him, i.e.- how we worship Him, even if we do not realize it! Our worship "style" and the type of music we use reveals what we believe about God. If a church wants to study its Worship, this is the place to begin: "What do we believe about God?"

I use the word "Sacred" in "Sacred Music" to refer to the Triune God who reveals Himself both in Nature (all of it) and in Christian Scripture (all of it). Sacred music, in contrast to Christian Music [above], is that music which conveys a sense of this God. Sacred Music is music that conveys the Transcendence, the utter Holiness of God, His Altogether Otherness. Sacred Music makes you aware you are in the presence of the overpowering Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. This awareness leaves you in silence, still and motionless. It is neither exciting nor meditative, but powerful and stirs the spirit within, convicting the heart of personal sin and giving the worshipper a sense of frailty and mortality. Sacred Music leads to repentance and confession and submission to God and an openess to receiving the Word of God and motivation for obeying it. These are the signs of Sacred Music. It is music that leads to an Isaiah 6 experience.

DID THE WESLEYS USE TAVERN, DRINKING SONGS AS MELODIES FOR THEIR HYMNS?

Written by Calvin Fox

Friday, 19 September 2014 17:39

There is a popular misconception that continues to survive among United Methodists that John and Charles Wesley made use of tavern, drinking, or bar songs, as melodies for their hymns. The same is often heard of the great reformer and musician, Martin Luther. This claim is sometimes made to show the extent of their evangelistic zeal; namely, that they would go out into the secular culture, even into the taverns, saloons, and parlors frequented by the sinners they sought to redeem and make use of the musical language, the familiar drinking song tunes, for their own sacred hymns. The claim continues to be made today by some musicians, pastors, worship leaders, composers, and hymn writers. Unfortunately, this is a misapplication of a historical inaccuracy.

I have not been posting recently because my wife and I have been engaged with relocating and moving into a new house. Our new home is now in Maryland. Among other things, we have been doing a church search- there are many of them in this area. Our experience is pushing me to revisit a Topic I had not wanted to return to: Church Music.

Here is a very interesting Blog on the subject of singing Hymns and using Hymnals. The blogger challenges us to think seriously about the subject- not just emote with knee-jerk reactions. There is a lot of intelligent content here, including the follow-up Blog and comments from readers as well as good resources for further discussion.